Public Faith: A Beacon of Hope and Transformation

Finding Jesus, I have found that my beautiful heart was intentionally made. Good morning, Menlo Church. Today is a special day as we witness individuals publicly declare their faith through baptism across all our campuses. This act of baptism is a powerful testament to the personal decision to follow Jesus and make that faith known to the world. We are one church in multiple locations, and it's heartening to see our community come together in this shared celebration.

Recently, we embarked on a significant initiative aimed at reaching 3% of the Bay Area with the good news of Jesus. Our first goal is 100% participation, emphasizing that every member of our community has a role to play in this mission. It's not about the amount of money given but about the collective effort and commitment to bring hope to our region. As of now, we are at 18% participation, and I believe God will honor our focus on involvement over financial contributions.

Today, we explore a story from the Book of Acts, where Paul and Silas, despite being imprisoned, chose to worship and pray, demonstrating that faith cannot be confined. Their public faith had a profound impact, leading to the salvation of a jailer and his family. This narrative illustrates that when personal faith goes public, it spreads hope and transforms lives. Our faith is meant to be shared, not kept private, as Jesus calls us to be the light of the world.

The story of the jailer reminds us that God is always at work, preparing hearts to receive His message. The jailer's question, "What must I do to be saved?" is a universal inquiry, and the answer is simple: believe in the Lord Jesus. This belief transcends cultural and societal barriers, inviting us to place our ultimate allegiance in Jesus. Baptism is an act of obedience, a public declaration of faith, and an invitation to join the celebration in heaven.

As we witness baptisms today, I encourage you to consider your own journey. Whether you're taking the first step in faith or contemplating making your faith public, know that God loves you and has a plan for your life. Let's continue to be thoughtful witnesses, bringing the hope of heaven to those around us.

**Key Takeaways:**

- **Public Faith as a Beacon of Hope:** Our faith in Jesus is personal but never meant to be private. Like Paul and Silas, who worshiped openly in prison, our public faith can spread hope and transform lives. When we share our faith, we become lighthouses, guiding others to the path of Jesus. [09:55]

- **Participation Over Contribution:** The initiative to reach 3% of the Bay Area emphasizes 100% participation over financial contributions. It's about each member asking God how they can contribute to the mission, highlighting the importance of collective effort in spreading hope. [03:11]

- **Faith Beyond Circumstances:** Paul and Silas demonstrated that faith cannot be imprisoned. Despite their dire situation, they chose to worship, showing that faith transcends circumstances and can inspire others even in the darkest times. [10:18]

- **The Simplicity of Salvation:** The jailer's question, "What must I do to be saved?" is answered with the simple truth of believing in Jesus. This belief requires placing Jesus as the ultimate authority in our lives, transcending cultural and societal norms. [20:33]

- **Baptism as a Public Declaration:** Baptism is not a sign of maturity but an act of obedience, moving personal faith to a public declaration. It's an invitation to join the celebration in heaven and spread hope through our witness. [26:43]

**Youtube Chapters:**

- [0:00] - Welcome
- [00:52] - Church Community and Baptism
- [01:26] - Initiative for the Bay Area
- [02:01] - Giving Weekend Announcement
- [02:29] - Importance of Participation
- [03:11] - Call to 100% Participation
- [03:39] - Current Participation Status
- [04:02] - Invitation to Join the Initiative
- [04:30] - Baptism Invitation
- [05:26] - Preparing for Baptism
- [05:56] - Prayer and Spiritual Momentum
- [06:30] - Personal Faith and Technology
- [08:32] - Public vs. Private Faith
- [09:55] - Story of Paul and Silas
- [11:35] - Faith in Adversity
- [14:02] - Earthquake and Jailer’s Response
- [19:22] - Jailer’s Salvation
- [23:22] - The Gospel Message
- [26:43] - Baptism as Obedience
- [29:24] - Prayer for New Believers

**Bible Study Discussion Guide**

**Bible Reading:**
- Acts 16:25-34
- Matthew 5:14-16

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**Observation Questions:**

1. What actions did Paul and Silas take while they were imprisoned, and how did these actions impact those around them? [11:35]

2. How did the jailer respond to the earthquake and the actions of Paul and Silas? What was his immediate question to them? [19:22]

3. What was the significance of the jailer and his family being baptized immediately after believing in Jesus? [24:28]

4. How does the sermon describe the role of public faith in spreading hope and transforming lives? [15:58]

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**Interpretation Questions:**

1. What does the story of Paul and Silas in prison teach about the power of worship and prayer in difficult circumstances? [12:41]

2. How does the sermon illustrate the concept of "public faith" using the metaphor of a lighthouse? What does this metaphor suggest about the role of believers in the world? [18:46]

3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that personal faith should transition to public faith, and what are the potential impacts of this transition? [15:58]

4. How does the sermon address the cultural and societal challenges of declaring Jesus as Lord, particularly in the context of the Roman Empire? [21:37]

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**Application Questions:**

1. Reflect on a time when you faced a challenging situation. How did your faith influence your response, and what can you learn from Paul and Silas's example of worshiping in prison? [12:41]

2. Consider your own journey of faith. Are there areas where you feel called to make your personal faith more public? What steps can you take to do this in your community? [15:58]

3. The sermon emphasizes participation over financial contribution in the church's mission. How can you actively participate in spreading hope within your community, regardless of financial means? [03:11]

4. The jailer's question, "What must I do to be saved?" is described as a universal inquiry. How would you answer this question if asked by someone in your life, and how can you prepare to share your faith with others? [20:33]

5. Baptism is described as an act of obedience and a public declaration of faith. If you have not been baptized, what might be holding you back, and how can you overcome these barriers? [26:43]

6. Reflect on the metaphor of being a "light of the world." In what specific ways can you let your light shine in your daily interactions, and how can this impact those around you? [17:29]

7. The sermon mentions the importance of thoughtful witness. Identify one person in your life who might benefit from hearing about your faith journey. How can you engage them in a meaningful conversation this week? [16:18]

Day 1: Public Faith as a Transformative Force
Our faith in Jesus is not meant to be hidden but shared openly, serving as a beacon of hope and transformation for others. Paul and Silas exemplified this when they worshiped and prayed in prison, leading to the salvation of a jailer and his family. Their story illustrates that when we live out our faith publicly, it can have a profound impact on those around us, spreading hope and inspiring change. As followers of Jesus, we are called to be the light of the world, guiding others to Him through our actions and words. [09:55]

Acts 16:25-26 (ESV): "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened."

Reflection: Who in your life needs to see the light of your faith today? How can you intentionally share your faith with them in a way that is both genuine and impactful?


Day 2: Collective Participation in God's Mission
The initiative to reach 3% of the Bay Area with the good news of Jesus emphasizes the importance of collective participation over financial contributions. Every member of the community is encouraged to ask God how they can contribute to this mission, highlighting the power of unity and shared purpose. It's not about the amount given but the heart and commitment to spreading hope and love. As a community, we are stronger together, and our collective efforts can bring about significant change. [03:11]

1 Corinthians 12:12-14 (ESV): "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many."

Reflection: What unique gifts or resources do you have that can contribute to God's mission in your community? How can you actively participate in this collective effort today?


Day 3: Faith That Transcends Circumstances
Paul and Silas demonstrated that faith cannot be confined by circumstances. Despite being imprisoned, they chose to worship and pray, showing that faith transcends even the darkest situations. Their unwavering trust in God inspired those around them and led to miraculous outcomes. This teaches us that our faith should not be dependent on our circumstances but should remain steadfast, inspiring others and bringing hope even in adversity. [10:18]

Habakkuk 3:17-18 (ESV): "Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation."

Reflection: In what area of your life are you currently facing challenges? How can you choose to worship and trust God despite these circumstances?


Day 4: The Simplicity of Salvation
The jailer's question, "What must I do to be saved?" is answered with the simple truth of believing in Jesus. This belief requires placing Jesus as the ultimate authority in our lives, transcending cultural and societal norms. Salvation is not about complex rituals or requirements but about a sincere faith in Jesus as Lord. This simplicity invites everyone, regardless of background, to experience the transformative power of God's love and grace. [20:33]

Romans 10:9-10 (ESV): "Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved."

Reflection: Have you fully embraced the simplicity of salvation in your own life? What steps can you take today to deepen your belief and trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior?


Day 5: Baptism as a Public Declaration of Faith
Baptism is an act of obedience and a public declaration of faith, symbolizing the believer's identification with Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. It is not a sign of spiritual maturity but an invitation to join the celebration in heaven and spread hope through our witness. As we witness baptisms, we are reminded of the joy and responsibility of sharing our faith with others, inviting them to experience the transformative power of God's love. [26:43]

Colossians 2:12 (ESV): "Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead."

Reflection: If you have not yet been baptized, what is holding you back from taking this step of obedience? If you have been baptized, how can you use your testimony to encourage others in their faith journey?

Finding Jesus, I have found that my beautiful heart was intentionally made.

Well, good morning, Menlo Church. So glad to be with you. Welcome to one of our favorite weekends around here, where we get to be a part of watching people take the step of making a personal faith public through the act of baptism. We have baptisms happening at all of our campuses today, and we are cheering you on all across the Bay.

Speaking of campuses, we are one church in multiple locations through the Bay Area in Saratoga, Mountain View, Menlo Park, San Mateo, and people that join us every week online. And wherever you're joining us from, I hope that you have a hot cup of coffee or tea, if that's your thing, and a good donut, and that God is already encouraging you this morning.

Last weekend, we also had a pretty major day around here, where we capped off a month-long series at the end of a year-and-a-half-long process about the future that we believe God is calling us to with something that we call, "This initiative." This initiative is a down payment over the next three years on what we believe God is calling us to do over the next 10 years to be a part of reaching 3% of the Bay Area, 250,000 people, with the good news of Jesus.

Last weekend, we took a very big step to commit to this next phase together. And every day since, we've had people sending in cards and submitting their commitments online. It's been so encouraging and so incredible. The next major milestone for this initiative is November 10th, which we're calling Giving Weekend. And there are going to be some people who are setting up giving for the very first time on that weekend. We'll have folks ready to help.

On the other end of the spectrum, we'll have people who will be giving a significant gift toward their commitment. And I will also, on that day, November 10th, let you know kind of what the current commitment total is towards the next three years.

Now, some of you are like, "Why won't you tell me right now, Phil?" Because patience is a good thing.

Now, I think the thing that we talked about through this initiative has been that the first goal actually is 100% participation. And you may not know this if you're new or newer to church, but it is very common for about 20% of any given church to do about 80% of the work. That's pretty normal. And some of you are like, "I didn't know that. I've been a part of the 20%. Great job."

And really, part of the call of this initiative is that we want to be hope bringers. Every single one of us. And so we said that our first goal is actually 100% participation. And so over the course of the next few weeks, I'm actually going to try and help us understand what that participation percentage is and call us to a greater percent of participation.

Not that there's some number I have in my head that everyone must do. Simply that you would ask God. Ask God what it looks like to be able to walk in obedience towards what he's calling you to do if Menlo Church is your home.

So as of today, we are at 18% participation here at Menlo. So if the normal number is 20%, we're real close to that participation rate. And I believe that actually God will honor it more if we aim first at participation, not at money. So that's what we're going to do over the next few weeks. Would love to invite you to still be a part of it. Thank you.

Between now and November 10th, I will continue to update you on this percentage. I'll give you what that is each week. And I believe that God will honor this when we just ask him individually what he wants us to do. And then we respond with a bold step of faith for this season to believe that the best days are still to come. The best days for Menlo, the best days for the Bay Area, and the best days for you and your faith with God. I really, really hope you take that step.

Now, you can take that step today at any of our campuses or online. We have boxes that say "Hope for Everyone" on them that you can drop a card in. You can learn more and give at menlo.church/hope. You can also stop by Hope for Everyone stations at all of our campuses. Someone will be there ready to answer any questions that you have.

Now, all of that is really for people that call Menlo Church home. And so if you do, and that's unfamiliar, you can go check up and catch up on all the stuff that we've been doing over the last few weeks together.

And if you're still trying to figure out if this place is your place, I want to encourage you to think about a really big step that you're going to see some people take around Menlo this weekend, which is baptism. One of the things that we work on really hard to be ready for on baptism weekend is to be prepared for you. If you decided to follow Jesus, but you've never been baptized, it isn't too late.

I'll talk a little bit later about what it means and why maybe you might be ready for it. And your campus pastor will get up later in the service and explain to you what it looks like to take that step. If you feel a pull from God to take that step today, we have someone you can talk to. We have clothes you can change into. And I promise whoever you came with today, they will be more than happy to wait a few extra minutes while you change.

You may not know this, but it could be the very thing they've been praying for might happen. In your life today, we're going to study a really unique story from the early church that illustrates a powerful idea of how our faith and this connection to baptism can take place.

But before we do that, I'm going to pray for us. And if you've never been here before or never heard me speak before, I pray kneeling. And part of the reason that I do that is because of the amazing and humbling truth that God would still use moments like this to create spiritual momentum.

And I'm praying that he'll do that with you right now. Would you pray with me?

God, thank you so much. Thank you that the work you continue to do in each one of us is important and necessary work. And that, God, our hearts still beating, excited today, disappointed today, discouraged today, hopeful today. Wherever we find ourselves, we can bring them before you. You knew it already. And, God, you'll meet us there.

And give us your word. Give us just what we need in your word. Would you do that now? It's in Jesus' name. Amen.

Now, one thing that you probably have noticed about me is that I'm pretty comfortable with technology. I don't know if that's new information. I have been kind of my whole life for some reason. I'm not really entirely sure why.

And part of that has been helping people find deals on the technology that they're looking for around the holidays. It's like a weird side hustle that I don't get paid for. I don't know. I don't know why. I'll get texts from people that I have not seen in years leading up to Amazon Prime Days or Black Friday. And they're asking me where the best deal is on something that they're looking for or hoping to get for a loved one.

And for the most part, I can give them an answer actually instantly. Like, I'm just sort of aware of whatever is happening. And I rarely ever, like, buy the deals that I'm scouting for. I just kind of in my head know the people I'm sending texts to. But I don't keep them to myself. I try to share whatever deals I discover.

And for some of you, it's not technology. You think, like, that sounds a little crazy. But you do that same thing with clothes. Or you do that same thing with traveling. Or you do that same thing, I don't want to step on anybody's toes, with wine. Right? Like, you have more wine club memberships than I do pairs of shoes. That's all I'm saying. It's between you and the Lord.

But I think that lots of us, we have a passion or we have an interest. And when we do, we don't mind sharing whatever that passion or interest is with others because we feel like it adds value. We want to help them.

What's tough is, well, that may be true in certain areas over here. It's not always true of our faith. See, some of us, we've been following Jesus for decades. But our faith isn't just personal. It's private. We're secret agents for God. And you maybe have people at your school or in your neighborhood, at your work, or maybe even in your family who would be surprised to discover that you are a follower of Jesus.

Now, our faith in Jesus is absolutely personal. It has to be a choice we make. But it was never designed to be private. As a matter of fact, Jesus has some pretty strong warnings for us, if it is. He says it in one place like this: "But whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven."

Now, I'm not trying to scare anyone. We're supposed to be thoughtful witnesses of the work that God is doing in and through us with our lives. What we're going to see from two early Christians is that hope spreads when personal faith goes public. That God is just waiting like planting seeds in places, spaces, and people's lives around us.

We're going to look at a passage of the Bible that follows the early church in the first century called the Book of Acts. Specifically, a time when two leaders were put in prison after helping a little girl who was being victimized and whose parents were in prison and whose parents stopped being able, well actually owners, stopped being able to profit off of her.

First, they modeled that faith can't be imprisoned. Faith can't be imprisoned. Actually, no matter what we see throughout human history over and over and over again, faith in Jesus is never in prison. Some of you, you hear that and you think, "Well, you don't know where I work. You don't know what school I go to. You don't know the house that I live in." But bear with me.

Because our faith, it starts inside of our hearts and minds. And it spreads from there as we make it known in thoughtful ways throughout our life. It's always been that rhythm. The Book of Acts is kind of like a travel journal for the early church. Written by Luke, a first-century doctor, to someone who is believed to be a government official that some commentators think actually became a follower of Jesus between the Gospel of Luke, where Luke recorded the accounts of Jesus' life, and the Book of Acts, where we're going to be reading this morning.

Because of reading Luke's verifiable historic accounts of what happened, we join this travel journal about the same time that Luke does. He's previously been writing based on eyewitness accounts and interviews of others. But just before the passage that we're studying, he joined them on what is considered the second missionary journey in the first century.

Just before this passage, Paul and Silas, two early church leaders, have been thrown in prison after being beaten because they helped this young girl who was a slave to a rich family that was profiting off of victimizing her.

This is where we pick up the story. It says, "About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. And the prisoners were listening to them." Not that they had much choice. "And suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's bonds were unfastened."

When the jailer woke and saw the prison doors were broken, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here."

Now we are introduced to this jailer after Paul and Silas are beaten with rods. And he's given specific and strict instructions to keep them safe overnight after this public scene had erupted. In the middle of the night, they're singing and praying. And at this point, they are bleeding and in prison. How humbling.

I don't know about you, but I can have like a bad time in traffic, and it can affect my prayer and worship life negatively. They are bleeding and imprisoned. And the place that they go is to the throne room of God. I wonder what they're singing. They were already songs that were being circulated in the early church, and historians have made some guesses.

But can you imagine sitting in a jail as other prisoners listen in? And actually, in the original language, it's this idea that they're listening in with interest. They're curious about Paul and Silas, that they would sing and pray out loud. One of the things that we say about musical worship around here is that worship is a weapon in the war for our souls.

See, Paul and Silas, they knew that. They knew that this was not just something they were doing, that it was actually going to recalibrate their life and their faith, their orientation towards what God would do in their life. That's what it does in my life as well. And they knew that other prisoners were listening, too. They didn't let their faith go from personal to private.

And they would have had lots of really good reasons to do it. They stayed public, even when it cost them. I wonder if they were doing like a cadence of singing songs and praying. You know, like they're just sitting there like, "Amazing grace." And then they're like, "Hey, God, this prisoner next to me, he smells. He smells really bad, but there's a fragrance of heaven that you can invite into his life."

And the guy's like, "I'm right here. I hear you praying," you know, back and forth, songs and praying, songs and praying all night. At some point, some of them are getting wooed to sleep. Obviously, that's what happens for the jailer until something happened. An earthquake happened.

Now, an earthquake wouldn't have been unusual in the region of Philippi where this scene is taking place. But what was unusual was that the earthquake would be so powerful that it would shake the foundations of the prison. It opened the doors. It broke the shackles of the prisoners. That was unusual.

And when the jailer who was apparently sleeping through all of this finally woke up, he assumed the worst. See, at this time, if you were a jailer and your prisoners escaped, the likely outcome and consequence would be your own execution. And really for him, knowing that, he decided I would rather take my own life than have someone do it for me.

But right as he's about to do it, like just picture in your mind this jailer so wracked with instantaneous guilt and shame and fear, he pulls out his sword, preparing to take his own life. And Paul stops him by shouting, "We are all still here."

And "we are all still here" is not just Paul and Silas. I have no idea how he restrained or more likely convinced the other prisoners not to run. We don't know what they were in prison for. We don't know what their personal faith was, but they stayed.

And the impact of Paul and Silas' public faith, worshiping and praying with wounds from their last unjust incident still oozing from their body, it had spread hope into the hearts of everyone around them. That's what public faith does.

See, part of being a thoughtful witness for Jesus isn't just about getting to heaven someday. It's about bringing the hope of heaven. It's about bringing the hope of heaven with you every day. One thing that we say around here is that personal faith will bring you to heaven, but public faith brings heaven here.

Wherever here is, wherever God takes you this week, that's the power of being a thoughtful witness for Jesus. Not having a private faith, but a personal faith that can go public in thoughtful ways. Some of you, you do this at work. You do this with your friends, even people who aren't followers of Jesus. Your thoughtful witness brings the vision and values of the kingdom of heaven naturally into the conversations that you are a part of.

You bring hope everywhere because you believe and know to be true that hope spreads when personal faith goes public. So now we are at the point where the prisoners have actually spared the life of the jailer. Isn't that interesting?

And we see that when we bring hope, we find faith. When we bring it, God will show us faith in the lives and circumstances that we are always. And he's been cultivating it from before the foundations of the world. Faith is waiting in the people and the circumstances around us all the time. But it's made visible as we bring the hope that God has placed in us, with us, wherever we go.

Another famous quote from Jesus about the role of public faith comes from the Sermon on the Mount, one of his most famous sermons recorded in the New Testament, where Jesus says, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden, nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

Now, every one of these examples that Jesus gives as a master communicator thousands of years ago had connections to examples and situations. These were great, brilliant metaphors that meant one thing then, but their understanding of it was limited obviously to their time and space.

For those of us that live in the Bay Area, we actually have these amazing continuations of this metaphor all around us. It's something like the Point Benita Lighthouse. This lighthouse that was constructed in the mid-19th century, after more than 300 boats ran aground near the Golden Gate Bridge.

See, the lighthouse, it wasn't claiming to be the path for the boats. It simply showed the way to the Golden Gate Bridge. It showed that the path was available. The same path that had been there the whole time was available to the boats that were passing. And when the lighthouse shined the light, they could finally see it.

When we are thoughtful witnesses for the hope of heaven in us, that's what our public faith does. It lets people know that there is a hope that is available. We get to be lighthouses, showing people the way of Jesus that's always been there and by his grace is still there.

That's what Paul and Silas did that night in prison. And it changed everything. The story continues this way. "And the jailer called for the lights and rushed in." It didn't have, you know, there was no like emergency lighting system, right? Somebody grab a light and says, "And trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'"

And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household." And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds. And he was baptized at once, he and all his family.

Then he brought them up into his house. Then set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God. The jailer is probably still holding the sword that he had just moments earlier assumed was going to take his own life. And now he's wondering if he's going to need to use this same sword to quell some sort of insurrection that's taking place in the jail where these prisoners have been recently freed.

And he finds these shackled prisoners peacefully sitting in the dark. Unprompted, he asks this simple question that we see repeatedly in the New Testament: "What must I do to be saved?" It's really a question that every person asks, person of faith or not. We just chase different answers to it.

Here's what we know he already knew somehow. First, he knew that he needed to be saved from something. I think inherently we all do. And second, he knew that they had the answer, that Paul and Silas were different, that they carried something with them.

We know from the rest of the passage that they hadn't shared the answers of the gospel yet. That was still coming. But that their life and their witness was so compelling that hope spread supernaturally just through interactions and contact with them. What a testimony.

Their answer is very simple to this jailer: "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved." But it carried some immediate cultural resistance. Maybe you can relate. See, they were in a Roman colony where the greatest crime that would be regularly accused of was being subversive to Caesar, in which the way that people would commonly reaffirm their loyalty to the Roman Empire and to Caesar specifically was, "Caesar is Lord."

And so Paul and Silas, they are making this comment very intentionally. Paul was saying that Jesus would need to become the ultimate authority. He would be the ultimate authority in this jailer's life. And that idea still hasn't changed of what it means to be a follower of Jesus today.

He would still be a citizen of Rome, but his greater citizenship would always be in the kingdom of heaven. And that's still true. When you vote in a few weeks, which you should do, remember that your deeper identity isn't your national or political identity. If you are a follower of Jesus, it's that your view, your politics, you place them through the lens of your faith in Jesus and not the other way around.

The jailer would have understood the profound cost that this faith carried. He would have understood what Paul and Silas were referring to, and he still agreed to it. Not only that, but he wanted his entire family there, which is amazing.

So at some point in this conversation, the jailer's family arrived and showed up to his work where an earthquake had just knocked down the gates and unshackled the prisoners. And all of a sudden, Paul and Silas, they share the message of the good news of Jesus in the middle of the night to the jailer, his entire family, and likely the prisoners that are still listening.

It likely included their own story of how they met Jesus, which would have been amazing in both cases as they talked about what God had done for them. And then it shared these simple truths because, well, the gospel has lots of implications. The basics of the good news of Jesus are very simple.

See, the gospel is the good news of salvation that God made all of us in his image with infinite dignity, value, and worth, but that we all sinned, we all fell short. And because of God's deep love for us, he sent his only son to live the life that we couldn't, to die the death that we deserve, and to come back from the grave to offer us true life in his kingdom, starting now and lasting forever.

That's the good news. That's the good news of the gospel. And not only did the jailer believe it, but it's just that his entire family believed it. And there's this wild moment afterward where the jailer washes the wounds of Paul and Silas from the beatings that they had taken earlier in the day. Imagine that for a moment.

And maybe because they were around water, like it triggered this idea where Paul and Silas were like, "Oh yeah, you know, you just made a decision to follow Jesus. Do you want to get baptized? Let's do that."

So that night, the jailer left for work. And by the morning, Paul had spared his life by keeping the prisoners in check, and Jesus had saved his life. And he offered his life back to Jesus in worship, demonstrating his newly personal faith publicly through baptism within moments of even having it.

As crazy as it sounds, they even had a reception after the baptism. I'm not sure it was a potluck, but like they had dinner together, right? What an incredible celebration of what God did for this entire family through the faithful and thoughtful witness of Paul and Silas.

Church historians believe that this jailer and his family likely joined the church at Philippi, who Paul would later preach and write to, which is amazing to think about, right? Imagine that video story of him talking about how he decided to follow Jesus and the role that this night in prison served in the process as Paul is like, "Yeah, I remember him. I remember that night. I remember that conversation."

Think about all the excuses that the jailer could have used for not taking any of these steps, like really good excuses. He could have been fired from his job for the incident. This could have been professionally embarrassing for him. He hadn't studied all the teachings of Jesus yet. He hadn't talked to his wife about it, right? Seriously, there were lots of reasons for him to reject the message of hope, way more reasons to reject it than to accept it.

But with all of the reasons to reject it, there was one that prompted him to accept it. The God that spared his life had offered to save his soul, and that was enough. God may not have shown up as dramatically for you, but I bet that if you're a follower of Jesus, there are midnight of the soul moments that you can point back to in your life where God has shown up.

And if you are someone thinking about faith for the very first time, or for the first time in a long time, God loves you too. And he sets the circumstances by which not only would you be here, would you be listening to this, but that the circumstances of your life to make you receptive to the message of hope in Jesus, none of it is an accident.

Baptism isn't a sign of maturity. The jailer had very little of it. It's an act of obedience. It's the choice to move your personal faith to a public place for the sake of spreading hope. Maybe you have your own excuses. You don't understand everything about God or the Bible. There are people who aren't here right now. You didn't bring the clothes to wear. You have questions you need answered.

And I'm telling you, one of the things that we intentionally design services and weekends like this around is that we have tried to remove every possible barrier. If you feel like God is calling you to take the next step in making your personal faith public so that we can join the party that is happening in heaven in your life.

Honor. Maybe for you that feels like a little bit of a stretch, but a few weeks ago we heard Jesus say these very words to a group of religious leaders. He said, "There will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who don't need to repent or think they need to repent."

So with that in mind, I want to offer you a chance to say yes to Jesus in just a second through a simple prayer. One of my personal goals this year is to get my California driver's license. I know, I know. You're like, "What?" I know I'm supposed to do it immediately. Let's just keep it between us, okay? I have a driver's license. It's just to a different state, you know?

And part of the acknowledgment of my residency in the state of California is getting a license for the state that I live in. I know. You don't have to send me the email. I have lots of good excuses. You want to know? None of those excuses will matter if I get pulled over by a police officer, right?

And that police officer asks me how long I've lived in the state. And I'm like, "Two years." You know, like some of you, you've been following Jesus for a really long time. And today, out of love, the Holy Spirit has pulled you over and asked when you're going to take this step.

See, baptism, it's a simple act of going under the water and coming up out of it as a way of publicly communicating that Jesus is your Lord, just like it was for the jailer 2,000 years ago. And today is the day that you can have a midnight experience with God to follow him for the first time, or choose to go public with that faith, no matter how long or short you've had it.

So if you've never chosen to follow Jesus before, I'm going to pray a simple prayer that you can pray with me. Menlo Church, I'm going to ask you to pray this prayer out loud, repeat it after me, to give some boldness and confidence to people around you. It's not a magic spell. It's simply a way to put words to a decision.

And if you're ready to make that decision, if you're ready, like the jailer was, to say, "God, I'm in," you pray these words with me. Menlo Church, these words out loud.

Dear God, thank you for loving me. Thank you for sending your son Jesus to die in my place. Today I choose to trade my life and my plans for yours. I surrender my place as Lord of my life and give that power to you. Thank you for a brand new start that begins today and lasts forever. In Jesus' name, amen.

Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

Moments like these is because I've just been doing this long enough that I know that rooms all across the Bay Area, people online and living rooms all across the country and around the world, there are people that just went from death to life. People who right now just made a decision like that jailer, like Paul and Silas before, to become followers of him.

If you just prayed that prayer for the first time, you are qualified to go public with your faith through baptism in just a second. When campus pastors come up to share about how, please know that you are loved by God no matter what, no matter where you are in your walk with him.

And the stories that you're going to hear in just a minute across our campuses, they just underscore this amazing reality that God is not done with you. He loves you. He has a plan for you. And there is a hope that he doesn't want to just give to you, but through you. It's the hope of the world.

Would you pray with me? God, thank you so much. Thank you for the gift that it is to be able to walk in this newness of life. For some, God, they are still processing whether or not this journey is one that they're ready for. And so, God, would you move hearts closer to you even as they hear stories right now? Would you be with us, God? Help us to carry the stories we're about to see and be encouraged by them in our own faith as well.

God, we love you. We pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

1) "One of the things that we say about musical worship around here is that worship is a weapon in the war for our souls. See, Paul and Silas, they knew that. They knew that this was not just something they were doing. That it was actually going to recalibrate their life. And their faith, their orientation towards what God would do in their life. That's what it does in my life as well. And they knew that other prisoners were listening, too. They didn't let their faith go from personal to private. And they would have had lots of really good reasons to do it. They stayed public, even when it cost them." [13:03] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


2) "See, part of being a thoughtful witness for Jesus isn't just about getting to heaven someday. It's about bringing the hope of heaven. It's about bringing the hope of heaven with you every day. One thing that we say around here is that personal faith will bring you to heaven, but public faith brings heaven here. Wherever here is, wherever God takes you this week, that's the power of being a thoughtful witness for Jesus. Not having a private faith, but a personal faith that can go public in thoughtful ways." [15:58] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


3) "The gospel is the good news of salvation that God made all of us in his image with infinite dignity, value, and worth, but that we all sinned, we all fell short. And because of God's deep love for us, he sent his only son to live the life that we couldn't, to die the death that we deserve, and to come back from the grave to offer us true life in his kingdom, starting now and lasting forever. That's the good news. That's the good news of the gospel." [23:22] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


4) "Baptism isn't a sign of maturity. The jailer had very little of it. It's an act of obedience. It's the choice to move your personal faith to a public place for the sake of spreading hope. Maybe you have your own excuses. You don't understand everything about God or the Bible. There are people who aren't here right now. You didn't bring the clothes to wear. You have questions you need answered. And I'm telling you, one of the things that we intentionally design services and weekends like this around is that we have tried to remove every possible barrier." [26:43] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


5) "See, baptism, it's a simple act of going under the water and coming up out of it as a way of publicly communicating that Jesus is your Lord, just like it was for the jailer 2,000 years ago. And today is the day that you can have a midnight experience with God to follow him for the first time, or choose to go public with that faith, no matter how long or short you've had it." [28:54] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)